5 years 3 months

Dear Anna,

You have officially started summer since our last monthly update.  It is hard to believe you are done with the preschool years and you are on to the big stuff!  You are so excited about heading to kindergarten in August.  We talk about it quite a bit!

We started the first couple weeks of summer with lots of time at home.  You do a great job finding things to do at home.  You love time with your babies.  You are either playing house or school with your dolls.  I love how you line them up and take then around the house.  It takes quite a bit of time to move the line one doll at a time.  You also play a lot with your barbies.  When it isn't too hot we often find you outside riding your bike or playing with our neighbor, Lauren.  You two are very creative and often make some good messes!  

We are still working on your reading.  You don't love doing it these days, I may just be asking you to read at the wrong times.  You do a pretty good job and I think it will make kindergarten go a little more smoothly since you have a little background on reading already.  You like to write when you get a chance.  You make a little signs and sometimes you want to know how to spell words other times you just make up your own spelling.  

We just finished VBC this week.  I got to be a teacher in your class this year.  It was fun seeing you in a school atmosphere.  I enjoyed watching you interact with the kids and you also liked sitting on my lap and holding my hand (I'll take it while you are still offering it)!  During our song time in the church you would do some of the singing and the hand motions, but you didn't seem to into it.  Since it has been over you are now singing all the words...you told me you just were too tired to stand in church and that's why you really weren't singing.  Oh Nans!

Due to the crazy rain we've had we've only made it to the pool a couple times.  You absolutely love swimming.  You may be our biggest fish!  I am so amazed by how much you've grown in the swimming department!  All those winter swimming lessons paid off big time!

T-ball games have started and you seem to enjoy it.  You know to get the ball and throw it to first base. You do a good job hitting the ball off the tee and running the bases.  You aren't super into any sports, but you are fine with participating and hanging with your friends.  Gymnastics is still a big hit with you!  You have moved up to a higher level and I'm impressed with what they have you doing on the beam.  You are working on keeping your feet straight on the beam but other than that you are doing great. You can do a bridge now!  

Can't wait to see what this next month brings!  Happy summer times!

Love you baby girl,

Mom & Dad

Baby boy is 9 months!!!

Dear Wyatt,

Our sweet littlest baby is 9 months already!  I really can't believe how fast you are growing up.  This month has been busy.  I first found you standing in your crib at the lake over Memorial Day weekend (May 24th).   It took a while longer before we saw it again and then caught you in the act.  Luckily, you can easily get yourself down after standing up (I remember your brother and sister having a hard time getting down and crying out for help).  Well.. standing up in your crib is old hat now.  You are pulling up on everything and doing a little cruising here and there.  You are officially busy and on the go at all times.  I still put you in your pac n play that I have set up in the family room when I need a break.  I also put you in one upstairs in our room when we need you to be in a safe place.  We can put you in the exersaucers from time to time, but you do not last long at all!  You don't like being confined and you get mad and start crying when you want out.  

You now officially wave and clap and do it on command.  So fun and adorable!  You have also began walking behind push toys.  Waved on May 20th and clapped on May 23rd.  

Sleep - You aren't exactly sleeping through the night yet.  Some nights you do but most night you get up around 2 or 3.  You go down between 8-9 most night lately (due to our crazy summer schedule).  I then typically feed you again between 10 and 11 before I go to bed.  You either get up at 2 or 3 or sometimes you sleep until I wake you between 4:50 and 5:15 (to feed you before I go workout). After I wake you, you easily go back to sleep and sleep until 8 or later (most mornings).  When we aren't on the run with your big bro and sis you nap around 10 (for 1.5-2 hrs typically) and then again around 2ish for and hour or hour and half.  You are often then awake for quite some time before bed.  Rarely I can sneak in another little nap.  If we are out and about during a nap time you often fall asleep in the Ergo carrier for about 1/2 hour.  It is a good thing you are a pretty happy baby even when you aren't getting the sleep you need!

Eating - You are still nursing often about every 3 hours, but sometimes we push it to 4 hours.  You eat three meals a day and like to snack when we are out and about and you need a distraction.  You have still haven't found a food you won't eat.  You eat it all!  You love feeding yourself and you do a pretty good job.  Your pincher grasp is top notch!  Here are some of the new table foods you've tried lately: waffles with cream cheese, peanut butter on crackers, Ritz crackers, graham crackers, strawberries, grapes, bananas, mac n cheese, and toast.  I'm sure there is more but I just can't think of it all now.

Can't wait to see what this next month brings!!!  But I wouldn't mind if the month went a little slower.  I just love this age!!!!

9 month stats:
(June 11th)
Weight - 6 lbs 14.5 oz - 9th percentile
Height - 28 inches - 36th percentile
Head Circumference -  17 inches - 8th percentile
You are a little man, but you are hitting all of your milestones so Dr. Filardi is happy with your growth!

We love you little man!
Love,
Mom and Dad

 our 9 month photo shoot was rather difficult!  you are way to busy to sit still for a pic!

7 years 8 months

Happy monthly birthday buddy!  Well, since the last update you have passed first grade (insert very sad face) and you've started your summer.  You had a great first grade year and grew up so much this past year!  You have such a love of learning and I hope that never goes away!

Summer has been fun so far.  You had a few laid back weeks with lots of down time at home.  You've been busy perfecting your baseball skills in your free time.  You love going out in the front yard and practicing your pitching.  I set up a chair for you to throw the ball at.  We put it right in front of a bush in hopes that it won't roll away after every pitch.  You also go outside and printed your are playing games.  You throw the ball up for yourself or just pretend to pitch and make catches.  You are such a numbers guy and you love keeping score of your pretend games and often keep score of your pretend league games.  Uncle Matt got you a real scorebook so you can keep score during a real game.  We need to work on learning how to do that so you can sit down and keep score during  a Royals game soon.

You have been busy going to your baseball practices and games.  It has been a fun season to watch.  You are playing by the real rules now and it sure makes the games more exciting to watch.  You had an amazing catch the other day (I missed it b/c Anna and I had jus left for her game) but you caught a foul ball while being catcher in all the catcher gear.  You just leaned back and put your arm back and caught it.  I so wish I was there!  You are playing machine pitch this year and you are doing a pretty good job hitting the ball. When you have stuck out or got thrown out you've had some tears.  As much as you love playing by the rules it is also hard to get out when you are 7 years old.

You've had VBC this week and you've enjoyed the time with your friends.  Both Olivers are in your class and Brody.  I've been watching you in the sanctuary and I love that you get up and dance and sing each time when some of the other boys in your class are too cool to do that.  I love that you enjoy the songs and don't care what the others are doing!

In addition to playing baseball outside non-stop you are also playing with your Teeny Mates baseball figurines.  You also spend a lot of time with your baseball cards.  You are always grabbing paper and writing things down.  Most of the time you are just creating games with your cards or the teeny mates.  I love watching your creativity!  When allowed you'll spend quite a bit of time playing a MLB game on your iPad.  You  know it isn't something you an do all day, it is more of some thing you can earn after doing math, reading, or even cleaning your room.

You and Anna have found some common ground here and there and can sometimes come up with creative games to play together.  But we are still working on the constant fighting.  You two are so competitive with things (actually you are mainly).  So I'm hoping we can make some improvements in this area soon.  You still adore your baby brother and his face lights up when he sees you.  Lately you have just been picking him up...still not sure how I feel about that.  You do keep him out of harms way though.  You two are pretty darn sweet!

Dad and I are looking forward to enjoying this next month of summer with you!  You are such a good and sweet boy!  We love you so much!

Love,
Mom & Dad